The saga of Mr. Lyons and Mrs. Abdo, who covered Iran for the Paris—based International Herald Tribune and The Guardians of London started after they published an interview with jailed Iranian journalist Akbar Ganji, stating clearly that the questions were "smuggled" to his cell in Evin prison.

Ganji, the investigative journalist and researcher who, with some other journalists, revealed the extent of barbarity within the Iranian clerical-ruled establishment as seen by the case known as "serial murders" as recently been sentenced to 10 years in prison and a further five in internal exile for, among other charges, having accused top government officials of ordering the killings of leading dissidents.

As Reuters took the decision of withdrawing Mr. Lyons after receiving a letter from the Iranian authorities making allegations against him and threatening Reuters with unspecified action, the Islamic Guidance Ministry, which is in charge of the press in Iran, said Mr. Lyons and his wife had left Tehran Friday night "voluntarily", confirming however that they would be no more welcome in Iran.

Citing Iranian journalists, the French news agency AFP, Reuters fiercest rival, had reported earlier that Jonathan Lyons had left Iran on Friday night on official orders."

Khoshvaqt said he had sent a letter to the Reuters Managing-Director Peter Job on January 31, sharply criticising Lyons over his interview with the jailed journalist, telling him that Lyons and Abdo’s conduct were "illegal and contrary to the code of conduct applicable to journalists in Iran".

"The couple have distorted Ganji's remarks in contravention of the press regulations", he said, without explaining the regulations.

According to Mr. Ganji's brother Asqar, his brother's prison interview, carried out earlier this week in writing through an intermediary, was "misrepresented".

For those familiar with Iranian scene and the Mollahrchy, all these threats, letters of intimidations and other actions are quite natural, for, the moment the evening daily Keyhan, immediately after the publication of the interview, had urged the authorities for the closure of Reuters bureau in Tehran, they were certain that the fate of the two journalists was sealed.

Considering the fact that Mr. Hoseyn Shariatmadari, an official interrogator of political and intellectual prisoners is appointed by the leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i as Editor of Keyhan, Iran watchers were expecting the decision, one way or another.